HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE CENTRAL MOTOR AND FINANCE COMPANY BUILDING

The law offices of Bryan, Lykins, Hejtmanek & Fincher, P.A. is located in the historic Central Motor and Finance Company Building on the northeast corner of Van Buren and Seventh Street in downtown Topeka. Designed by noted architect T. W. Williamson, who also designed the Topeka High School and Jayhawk Hotel, this structure was one of the first buildings in the Midwest to be constructed entirely out of concrete. Originally built for the Central Motor and Finance Company, this 33,800 square foot building was completed in 1926 and first served as a Studabaker Dealership.

Like modern dealerships, the interior was built with very few interior supports. This allowed the customers a view of the entire showroom. The first floor was designated as the new car showroom, while the second floor displayed used cars and also served as the service garage. Upon completion in 1926, the basement of the building was used as a valet parking garage for guests of the Hotel Jayhawk. A large interior elevator was part of the original construction and lifted the cars from the first to the second floor. The original building also included an indoor car wash and public telephone booth. The building has also served as a dealership for Mosby Mack Ford, Brother Motorcars Dodge, and Vick Yarington Oldsmobile.

This historic building was placed on the National Register of Historic Place in 1982. The Law Firm of Bryan, Lykins, Hejtmanek & Fincher, P.A. purchased the building in 1988 with the intent of restoring the building and using the available space for professional offices. During the restoration process, the attorney’s worked closely with Vance Kelly, a preservation architect with Kansas State Historical Society, to help restore the building to its original look. Original photographs were obtained to help duplicate the 1926 building. Restoring the exterior of the building required that the brick be water blasted and chemically washed because sand blasting would have destroyed the natural look of the original concrete. The exterior awnings which still use the original mechanisms give the building a distinctive look. Double hung wood windows were taken apart and restored. Where possible original wood was preserved and used in the reconstruction.

The firm has retained approximately 7500 square feet for their own use, while other attorneys and government entities lease the remaining space. The building offers easy access to the Kansas State Capital, and various federal, Kansas, and Shawnee County buildings. Not only has this historic building provided the firm with a wonderful location to practice law, but has allowed the attorney’s to help Topeka preserve its historical landmarks.